Dispensing device



Oct. 10, 1967 M. N. sESsA ETAL 3,346,145

DISPENSING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 13, 1966 INVENTORS. MICHAEL /v. SESSA 1 FRED D/STEFA N0 l/wwfil 7C.

ATTORNEY Oct. 10,1967 M. N. SESSA ETAL DISPENSING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 15, 1965 INVENTORS. MICHAEL IV. S5554 FRED DISTEFANU ATTORNEY United States Patent ()fiice Patented Oct. 10, 106,7,

Conn.

Filed Apr. 13, 1966, Ser. No. 542,346 1 Claim. (Cl. 222-162) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A dispensing device especially adapted for applying powdered Weed exterminator to a weed has a novel valve arrangement such that, when contact means on the device makes impact with a weed, the container holding the powdered exterminator moves relative to an elongated member and against the action of a spring that surrounds said elongated member and to the lower portion of which is fixed a plug that is normally biased closed against a valve seat. This results in displacement of the valve seat from the valve plug, and allows powdered exterminator to fall on the weed. The container is returnable to its original position by the action of the aforesaid spring.

An alternative manner of operating the device is described.

This invention relates broadly to apparatus for weed extermination.

The weed-exterminator device of the invention is operative to apply to a weed, on impact of the device therewith, a charge of exterminator material in the form of a dry solid powder. The act of impacting actuates a valve mechanism which releases the charge from a container on the device, and after such release the valve automatically closes to stop further discharge of powder. The device is further characterized by its rapidity of action and by a simple, durable, foolproof construction.

The invention may be better understood by referring to the accompanying drawing in which FIG. 1 is a broken view, in cross section, showing the device prior to impact on a weed;

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the device at impact;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the device on a reduced scale; and

FIG. 4 shows a modification.

Considering FIGURE 1, the device may be seen to comprise an elongated or rod-like member generally designated 10, preferably of a single length, having a handle portion 12, an intermediate portion 14, and a bottom or leg portion 16. The handle portion is threaded for adjusability, i.e., to permit the device to be used without stooping, and has an enlarged grip 18 attached.

The intermediate portion 14 has a container 20 movably supported thereon in which powdered exterminator material 22 is present. Such exterminator material may be any of the commercially available, finely divided, solid, weed exterminators that are marketed under various brand or trade names and which are such chemical compounds as, for example, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole, various substituted ureas, and others known in the art.

More particularly, the portion 14 has operatively associated with it spring means in the form of the coil 24 which at its lower end is engaged and supported by fixed anchor means in the form of the nut 26, and which at its upper end engages movable means in the form of the collar 28. Thus the spring is adapted to be compressed and to expand or react between these two means, one of which is fixed and the other movable. Resting on the collar 28 is a member 30 (see FIG. 3) of inverted channel shape, and the ends of which are securely fastened to the container, e.g., by welding. In this way the container is suspendably supported by means comprising the collar 28, spring 24, and portion 14. Owing to the weight of the container and its contents, the spring is somewhat compressed so that it normally urges the container toward the collar.

Below the nut 26, and fixedly held between it and nut 32, is a dish-shaped annular plate 34 having a central aperture Which is engaged by the portion 14. A pair of washers 36, 38 supports the plate on opposite sides of the same.

The container comprises a reservoir portion 40 and a discharge portion 42, the latter of which encircles flange 44 of the plate and engages the flange edges, as at 46. The discharge portion 42 extends a short distance below the engagement 46, as at 48. At the engagement 46 the plate has an outline representation which is substantially the same as that of the discharge portion 42, the result being that there is formed a discharge valve for the powder 22 comprising the plate as a valve and the engaging discharge portion 42 as a movable valve seat.

The leg portion 16 is threaded, as shown, to provide for an additional adjustment, and at the end of the same has a pad or flat support 50 threadedly connected.

7 In operation, the device is thrust or jammed down onto the ground so that the pad engages a weed 52, thereby depressing and spreading the weed as'shown in FIG. 2. Thrusting of the device to the ground is done with sufficient force to insure a sharp impact, and as a result the container, which is movable along the portion 14 owing to its mass or inertia, moves downwardly, after the impact, relatively to the plate 34 and against the action of the spring. Thus, an opening 54 is formed (see FIG. 2) through which a charge of powder flows, descending through the recess 56 of the discharge portion of the container. The powder falls on the spread-out weed in the form of a cylindrically-shaped stream 58 which clears the pad. By this time the compressed spring reacts and moves the container up to its original position, thus closing the opening at 54.

The spring action. occurs over a period just long enough to enable a charge of powder to be delivered. To control the amount of powder in a charge, the extent of the impact may be varied; the lighter it is, the less powder in the charge, and the heavier the impact, the greater the amount of the charge. There is no opportunity for the entire container contents to be discharged by a single impact owing, say, to sticking of the valve, because the latter is stationary. Only the container moves, and this movement is under positive control'of the spring. As is apparent, opening and closing of the recess at 54 is brought about by the down-and-up movement of the container.

V The flat engaging surface of pad 50 not only holds a weed in good position for application of a charge but also prevents the rod portion 16 from sinking intothe soil.

In this Way the pad avoids any lessening of the extent of the impact.

The device is of particular utility for the spot application of powdered material to weeds that survive a mass' application of conventional liquid materials to a lawn.

3 The latter exterminators are less expensive, being usually made up by the user who dilutes a small amount of exterminator with a large amount of Water. As indicated hereinbefore, any suitable powdered chemical exterminator is useful with the device to control and eliminate new weed seeds that may germinate and sprout following mass application of a liquid.

Suitable construction materials are metal and plastic. The container and the handle grip may be of plastic and the balance of the structure of metal. A cover for the container may be provided to protect the powder during use and storage. There is, of course, no need for a liquid-type construction.

In the modification of FIG. 4, the elongated member is formed of two parts, a first or upper member 60 and a second or lower member 62. These members have adjacent ends 64, 66 which are spaced apart by a relatively small distance indicated at 68. An elongated tubular member 70, preferably made of plastic, encloses the adjacent end portions 61 and 63 of the members 60 and 62. At its upper portion member 79 is fixedly secured to the member 60 as by means of cement or adhesive or binder material 72, while at its lower portion the tubular member 70 is engaged by the spring 74. The lower portion of the spring engages the plug 76, which may be of plastic or metal, solid or hollow, and which is cemented to the elongated member 62 so that it is fixedly secured to the same. The plug serves as a valve for the discharge portion 78 of container 80, seating on the valve seat 82 to close off the discharge opening 84.

At is upper end the tubular member 70 extends through an opening 86 in a strip 88, which is preferably rectangular in outline form and, preferably also, is made of plastic. The member 70 is fixed to the strip 88, as by means of suitable cementitious binder (not shown). The strip is provided with a lug 90, 92 at each end which engages slots 94 and 96, respectively, in the container, thereby fixing the strip and the supported member 70 adjacent the upper end of the container. The container top is rounded as at 98, to supply rigidity, and by pressing opposite sides of the top toward each other, the adjacent portions containing the slots may be bowed outwardly, thereby to facilitate insertion and removal of the strip 88.

The elongated member 66 is connected to a handle portion (not shown).

In order to use the device of FIG. 4, it is grasped by the handle and thrust at the ground so that the pad (see FIG. 1) engages. a weed. This downward movement of the device and the resulting sharp impact permit the container 80 to move downwardly a small amount, thus opening the value at the valve seat 82 and permitting a charge of powdered weed killer to be deposited on the weed. During downward movement of the container, it will be seen that strip 88 moves downwardly by virtue of the mechanical interlock at 90, 92 and 94, 96; similarly, the tubular member 70 moves downwardly by virtue of its cemented connection to the strip 88; and the elongated member 60, together with the handle, moves downwardly by virtue of the connection at 72 to the member 7 so that the face 64 of the end 61 of the rod 60 impacts against the face 66 of the end 63 of the rod 62, while the container 89, which is connected to the rod 60, via the connection of the rod 60 with the members 70 and 88 (which latter member is connected to the container by interlocks 90, 92, 94 and 96), also moves downward past the plug 76 which, resting on the ground, is stationary, thus displacing the seat 82 on the container opening 84 from the plug '76. It will be appreciated that the member 70 has a sliding fit with respect to the end 63 of the rod 62 and that the space 68, between the faces 64 and 66, is sufiicient to permit the limited downward movement of the end 61 of the rod 60 to impact the end 63 of the rod 62 and also for the container 80 to move downward to displace the seat 82 from the plug 76.

The downward movement just described takes place 4 against the action of spring 74, and at its conclusion, the container, and the movable structure associated therewith, is returned to the original position by reaction of the spring.

The device of FIG. 4 may also be operated without impacting it on the ground. Thus the pad of the device may simply be placed gently on a weed and the handle pressed down, whereby the member 60 may move downwardly to the extent defined by the small distance or length of space 68. As before, the member 60 will move the member 70, strip 88, and container with it, and as a result the discharge recess 84 will be opened. While member 60 can move through the entire distance of space 68, it can also move through only a fraction of such distance, depending on the force applied to the handle. In the result, the amount of charge deposited on a weed, according to this method of operation, is variable from that corresponding to a very slight pressure on the handle to that which is discharged if the handle is pressed to the fullest extent and maintained at such pressure.

It will be understood that the invention is capable of obvious variations without departing from its scope.

What is claimed is:

A rapid-acting, impactable, dispensing device especially adapted for applying powdered exterminator material to a weed comprising:

(A) a material-holding container movable down and up relative to a supporting member and having a discharge opening at the bottom thereof with a valve seat at said opening,

(B) a first (upper) elongated element to which said container is connected,

(C) a second (lower) elongated element having a valve plug fixed thereon normally biased closed against the said valve seat,

said first elongated element being movable relative to the said second elongated element and having its upper end portion thereof functioning as a handle for the said device, and

said first and second elongated elements having facing ends that are spaced apart a distance suflicient to permit the limited downward movement of the facing end of the first elongated element to impact the facing end of the second elongated element and also sufiicient to permit the said container to move downward to displace the said valve seat from the said valve p (D) a spring against which the said container is movably adapted to return the container to its original position after down movement of the same,

(B) an elongated tubular member that encloses the adjacent end portions of the aforesaid elements of (B) and (C),

said tubular member being connected to and moving with the said container, and also slidably receiving the said second elongated element, said spring surrounding the said second elongated element with one end on the top of the said valve plug and the other end against the bottom of the said tubular member, and (F) contact means on the device adapted to make contact with a weed, said device being adapted to be thrust against a Weed so that said contact means makes impact with the same, whereby said container by virtue of its inertia moves relative to the said second elongated member and against the action of the said spring, causing displacement of the said valve seat from the said valve plug and allowing powdered material to fall on the weed, said container being returnable to its original position by the action of the said spring, and said device also being operable by placing the contact means on a weed and pressing down on the handle, whereby the first elongated member and the container move downwardly against the spring, causing dis- 6 placement of the said valve seat from the said valve plug, 1,435,896 11/1922 Hoskins 2'22-50 1 the extent of said last-mentioned movement being limited 1,871,175 8/1932 Grunwald 222501 X by the aforesaid distance between the facing ends of the 2,227,706 1/ 1941 Conner 222322 said first and second elongated elements. 2,296,500 9/ 1942 Cain.

. 2,577,687 12/1951 Lee 111--7.3 X References Cited 2,658,648 11/ 1953 Tri-bbitt 222501 X UNITED STATES PA N S 2,689,068 9/1954 LUIm et a1 1117.4 X 558,448 4/1896 Brown 222-322 X 532 a1 5 11 1,075,691 10/1913 Burchett 222322 X 1,152,607 9/1915 Corey 222322 10 RAPHAEL M. L-UPO, Primary Examiner. 

